Withtheutmostregardforthefamily,forinstance(forIdinewiththemtwiceorthriceintheseason),IcannotbutownthattheappearanceoftheJenkinsesinthepark,inthelargebarouchewiththegrenadier-footmen,willsurpriseandmystifymetomydyingday:forthoughIknowtheequipageisonlyjobbed,andalltheJenkinspeopleareonboardwages,yetthosethreemenandthecarriagemustrepresentanexpenseofsixhundredayearattheveryleast—andthentherearethesplendiddinners,thetwoboysatEton,theprizegovernessandmastersforthegirls,thetripabroad,ortoEastbourneorWorthing,intheautumn,theannualballwithasupperfromGunter’s(who,bytheway,suppliesmostofthefirst-ratedinnerswhichJ.gives,asIknowverywell,havingbeeninvitedtooneofthemtofillavacantplace,whenIsawatoncethattheserepastsareverysuperiortothecommonrunofentertainmentsforwhichthehumblersortofJ.’sacquaintancesgetcards)—who,Isay,withthemostgood-naturedfeelingsintheworld,canhelpwonderinghowtheJenkinsesmakeoutmatters?
Weallknow—CommissioneroftheTapeandSealingWaxOffice,with1200poundsayearforasalary.Hadhiswifeaprivatefortune?Pooh!
AllsheevergetsfromherfamilyisaturkeyatChristmas,inexchangeforwhichshehastoboardtwoorthreeofhersistersintheoffseason,andlodgeandfeedherbrotherswhentheycometotown.HowdoesJenkinsbalancehisincome?
Isay,aseveryfriendofhismustsay,Howisitthathehasnotbeenoutlawedlongsince,andthatheevercameback(ashedidtothesurpriseofeverybody)lastyearfromBoulogne?
“I”ishereintroducedtopersonifytheworldingeneral—theMrs.Grundyofeachrespectedreader’sprivatecircle—everyoneofwhomcanpointtosomefamiliesofhisacquaintancewholivenobodyknowshow.
Manyaglassofwinehaveweallofusdrunk,Ihaveverylittledoubt,hob-and-nobbingwiththehospitablegiverandwonderinghowthedeucehepaidforit.
SomethreeorfouryearsafterhisstayinParis,whenRawdonCrawleyandhiswifewereestablishedinaverysmallcomfortablehouseinCurzonStreet,MayFair,therewasscarcelyoneofthenumerousfriendswhomtheyentertainedatdinnerthatdidnotasktheabovequestionregardingthem.
Thenovelist,ithasbeensaidbefore,knowseverything,andasIaminasituationtobeabletotellthepublichowCrawleyandhiswifelivedwithoutanyincome,mayIentreatthepublicnewspaperswhichareinthehabitofextractingportionsofthevariousperiodicalworksnowpublishednottoreprintthefollowingexactnarrativeandcalculations—ofwhichIought,asthediscoverer(andatsomeexpense,too),tohavethebenefit?
Myson,Iwouldsay,wereIblessedwithachild—youmaybydeepinquiryandconstantintercoursewithhimlearnhowamanlivescomfortablyonnothingayear.
Butitisbestnottobeintimatewithgentlemenofthisprofessionandtotakethecalculationsatsecondhand,asyoudologarithms,fortoworkthemyourself,dependuponit,willcostyousomethingconsiderable.
Onnothingperannumthen,andduringacourseofsometwoorthreeyears,ofwhichwecanaffordtogivebutaverybriefhistory,CrawleyandhiswifelivedveryhappilyandcomfortablyatParis.
Whenwefindhimagain,hismustachiosandthetitleofColonelonhiscardaretheonlyrelicsofhismilitaryprofession.
IthasbeenmentionedthatRebecca,soonafterherarrivalinParis,tookaverysmartandleadingpositioninthesocietyofthatcapital,andwaswelcomedatsomeofthemostdistinguishedhousesoftherestoredFrenchnobility.
TheEnglishmenoffashioninPariscourtedher,too,tothedisgustoftheladiestheirwives,whocouldnotbeartheparvenue.
ForsomemonthsthesalonsoftheFaubourgSt.Germain,inwhichherplacewassecured,andthesplendoursofthenewCourt,whereshewasreceivedwithmuchdistinction,delightedandperhapsalittleintoxicatedMrs.Crawley,whomayhavebeendisposedduringthisperiodofelationtoslightthepeople—honestyoungmilitarymenmostly—whoformedherhusband’schiefsociety.
Theoldwomenwhoplayedecartemadesuchanoiseaboutafive-francpiecethatitwasnotworthColonelCrawley’swhiletositdownatacard-table.
HeleftRebeccapresentlytofrequentthesepartiesalone,resuminghisownsimplepursuitsandamusementsamongsttheamiablefriendsofhisownchoice.
Thetruthis,whenwesayofagentlemanthatheliveselegantlyonnothingayear,weusetheword“nothing”tosignifysomethingunknown;meaning,simply,thatwedon’tknowhowthegentlemaninquestiondefraystheexpensesofhisestablishment.
Now,ourfriendtheColonelhadagreataptitudeforallgamesofchance:andexercisinghimself,ashecontinuallydid,withthecards,thedice-box,orthecue,itisnaturaltosupposethatheattainedamuchgreaterskillintheuseofthesearticlesthanmencanpossesswhoonlyoccasionallyhandlethem.
Touseacueatbilliardswellislikeusingapencil,oraGermanflute,orasmall-sword—youcannotmasteranyoneoftheseimplementsatfirst,anditisonlybyrepeatedstudyandperseverance,joinedtoanaturaltaste,thatamancanexcelinthehandlingofeither.
LikeagreatGeneral,hisgeniususedtorisewiththedanger,andwhentheluckhadbeenunfavourabletohimforawholegame,andthebetswereconsequentlyagainsthim,hewould,withconsummateskillandboldness,makesomeprodigioushitswhichwouldrestorethebattle,andcomeinavictorattheend,totheastonishmentofeverybody—ofeverybody,thatis,whowasastrangertohisplay.
Thosewhowereaccustomedtoseeitwerecautioushowtheystakedtheirmoneyagainstamanofsuchsuddenresourcesandbrilliantandoverpoweringskill.
Atgamesofcardshewasequallyskilful;forthoughhewouldconstantlylosemoneyatthecommencementofanevening,playingsocarelesslyandmakingsuchblunders,thatnewcomerswereofteninclinedtothinkmeanlyofhistalent;yetwhenrousedtoactionandawakenedtocautionbyrepeatedsmalllosses,itwasremarkedthatCrawley’splaybecamequitedifferent,andthathewasprettysureofbeatinghisenemythoroughlybeforethenightwasover.
Hissuccessesweresorepeatedthatnowondertheenviousandthevanquishedspokesometimeswithbitternessregardingthem.
AndastheFrenchsayoftheDukeofWellington,whoneversufferedadefeat,thatonlyanastonishingseriesofluckyaccidentsenabledhimtobeaninvariablewinner;yeteventheyallowthathecheatedatWaterloo,andwasenabledtowinthelastgreattrick:soitwashintedatheadquartersinEnglandthatsomefoulplaymusthavetakenplaceinordertoaccountforthecontinuoussuccessesofColonelCrawley.
ThoughFrascati’sandtheSalonwereopenatthattimeinParis,themaniaforplaywassowidelyspreadthatthepublicgambling-roomsdidnotsufficeforthegeneralardour,andgamblingwentoninprivatehousesasmuchasiftherehadbeennopublicmeansforgratifyingthepassion.
AtCrawley’scharminglittlereunionsofaneveningthisfatalamusementcommonlywaspractised—muchtogood-naturedlittleMrs.Crawley’sannoyance.
Shespokeaboutherhusband’spassionfordicewiththedeepestgrief;shebewailedittoeverybodywhocametoherhouse.
Shebesoughttheyoungfellowsnever,nevertotouchabox;andwhenyoungGreen,oftheRifles,lostaveryconsiderablesumofmoney,Rebeccapassedawholenightintears,astheservanttoldtheunfortunateyounggentleman,andactuallywentonherkneestoherhusbandtobeseechhimtoremitthedebt,andburntheacknowledgement.Howcouldhe?
Otherofficers,chieflyyoung—fortheyoungfellowsgatheredroundMrs.Crawley—camefromherpartieswithlongfaces,havingdroppedmoreorlessmoneyatherfatalcard-tables.
AloudandviolentfracastookplacebetweentheinfantryColonelandhislady,whowerediningattheCafedeParis,andColonelandMrs.Crawley;whowerealsotakingtheirmealthere.Theladiesengagedonbothsides.
TheCommander-in-ChiefhearingofthedisputesentforColonelCrawley,whowasgettingreadythesamepistols“whichheshotCaptainMarker,”andhadsuchaconversationwithhimthatnodueltookplace.
IfRebeccahadnotgoneonherkneestoGeneralTufto,CrawleywouldhavebeensentbacktoEngland;andhedidnotplay,exceptwithcivilians,forsomeweeksafter.
But,inspiteofRawdon’sundoubtedskillandconstantsuccesses,itbecameevidenttoRebecca,consideringthesethings,thattheirpositionwasbutaprecariousone,andthat,evenalthoughtheypaidscarcelyanybody,theirlittlecapitalwouldendonedaybydwindlingintozero.
Rawdonacquiescedinthejusticeofheropinion;andintruthhehadremarkedthatafterafewnightsofhislittlesuppers,&c.,gentlemenweretiredofplaywithhim,and,inspiteofRebecca’scharms,didnotpresentthemselvesveryeagerly.
EasyandpleasantastheirlifeatPariswas,itwasafterallonlyanidledallianceandamiabletrifling;andRebeccasawthatshemustpushRawdon’sfortuneintheirowncountry.
Shemustgethimaplaceorappointmentathomeorinthecolonies,andshedeterminedtomakeamoveuponEnglandassoonasthewaycouldbeclearedforher.
Rebeccalaughedinallcompaniesatthatofficer,athistoupee(whichhemountedoncomingtoParis),athiswaistband,athisfalseteeth,athispretensionstobealady-killeraboveall,andhisabsurdvanityinfancyingeverywomanwhomhecamenearwasinlovewithhim.
ItwastoMrs.Brent,thebeetle-browedwifeofMr.CommissaryBrent,towhomthegeneraltransferredhisattentionsnow—hisbouquets,hisdinnersattherestaurateurs’,hisopera-boxes,andhisknick-knacks.
PoorMrs.Tuftowasnomorehappythanbefore,andhadstilltopasslongeveningsalonewithherdaughters,knowingthatherGeneralwasgoneoffscentedandcurledtostandbehindMrs.Brent’schairattheplay.
Beckyhadadozenadmirersinhisplace,tobesure,andcouldcutherrivaltopieceswithherwit.But,aswehavesaid,she.
wasgrowingtiredofthisidlesociallife:opera-boxesandrestaurateurdinnerspalleduponher:nosegayscouldnotbelaidbyasaprovisionforfutureyears:andshecouldnotliveuponknick-knacks,lacedhandkerchiefs,andkidgloves.
AtthisjuncturenewsarrivedwhichwasspreadamongthemanycreditorsoftheColonelatParis,andwhichcausedthemgreatsatisfaction.
MissCrawley,therichauntfromwhomheexpectedhisimmenseinheritance,wasdying;theColonelmusthastetoherbedside.
HedepartedforCalais,andhavingreachedthatplaceinsafety,itmighthavebeensupposedthathewenttoDover;butinsteadhetookthediligencetoDunkirk,andthencetravelledtoBrussels,forwhichplacehehadaformerpredilection.
Thefactis,heowedmoremoneyatLondonthanatParis;andhepreferredthequietlittleBelgiancitytoeitherofthemorenoisycapitals.
Mrs.Crawleyandthelandlordhadaconsultationaboutthenewhangings,anamicablewrangleaboutthecarpets,andafinaladjustmentofeverythingexceptthebill.
Shewentoffinoneofhiscarriages;herFrenchbonnewithher;thechildbyherside;theadmirablelandlordandlandladysmilingfarewelltoherfromthegate.
GeneralTuftowasfuriouswhenheheardshewasgone,andMrs.Brentfuriouswithhimforbeingfurious;LieutenantSpooneywascuttotheheart;andthelandlordgotreadyhisbestapartmentsprevioustothereturnofthefascinatinglittlewomanandherhusband.
ButbeforeshewenttojoinherhusbandintheBelgiccapital,Mrs.CrawleymadeanexpeditionintoEngland,leavingbehindherherlittlesonuponthecontinent,underthecareofherFrenchmaid.
AftertheamiablefashionofFrenchmothers,shehadplacedhimoutatnurseinavillageintheneighbourhoodofParis,wherelittleRawdonpassedthefirstmonthsofhislife,notunhappily,withanumerousfamilyoffoster-brothersinwoodenshoes.
Hisfatherwouldrideovermanyatimetoseehimhere,andtheelderRawdon’spaternalheartglowedtoseehimrosyanddirty,shoutinglustily,andhappyinthemakingofmud-piesunderthesuperintendenceofthegardener’swife,hisnurse.
Hepreferredhisnurse’scaressestohismamma’s,andwhenfinallyhequittedthatjollynurseandalmostparent,hecriedloudlyforhours.
Hewasonlyconsoledbyhismother’spromisethatheshouldreturntohisnursethenextday;indeedthenurseherself,whoprobablywouldhavebeenpainedatthepartingtoo,wastoldthatthechildwouldimmediatelyberestoredtoher,andforsometimeawaitedquiteanxiouslyhisreturn.
Infact,ourfriendsmaybesaidtohavebeenamongthefirstofthatbroodofhardyEnglishadventurerswhohavesubsequentlyinvadedtheContinentandswindledinallthecapitalsofEurope.
AndwhereasthereisnowhardlyatownofFranceorItalyinwhichyoushallnotseesomenoblecountrymanofourown,withthathappyswaggerandinsolenceofdemeanourwhichwecarryeverywhere,swindlinginn-landlords,passingfictitiouschequesuponcredulousbankers,robbingcoach-makersoftheircarriages,goldsmithsoftheirtrinkets,easytravellersoftheirmoneyatcards,evenpubliclibrariesoftheirbooks—thirtyyearsagoyouneededbuttobeaMilorAnglais,travellinginaprivatecarriage,andcreditwasatyourhandwhereveryouchosetoseekit,andgentlemen,insteadofcheating,werecheated.
ItwasnotforsomeweeksaftertheCrawleys’departurethatthelandlordofthehotelwhichtheyoccupiedduringtheirresidenceatParisfoundoutthelosseswhichhehadsustained:notuntilMadameMarabou,themilliner,maderepeatedvisitswithherlittlebillforarticlessuppliedtoMadameCrawley;notuntilMonsieurDidelotfromBouled’OrinthePalaisRoyalhadaskedhalfadozentimeswhethercettecharmanteMiladiwhohadboughtwatchesandbraceletsofhimwasderetour.
Itisafactthateventhepoorgardener’swife,whohadnursedmadame’schild,wasneverpaidafterthefirstsixmonthsforthatsupplyofthemilkofhumankindnesswithwhichshehadfurnishedthelustyandhealthylittleRawdon.
HeaskedalltravellerswhethertheyknewacertainColonelLorCrawley—avecsafemmeunepetitedame,tresspirituelle.“Ah,Monsieur!”
Rebecca’sobjectinherjourneytoLondonwastoeffectakindofcompromisewithherhusband’snumerouscreditors,andbyofferingthemadividendofninepenceorashillinginthepound,tosecureareturnforhimintohisowncountry.
Itdoesnotbecomeustotracethestepswhichshetookintheconductofthismostdifficultnegotiation;but,havingshownthemtotheirsatisfactionthatthesumwhichshewasempoweredtoofferwasallherhusband’savailablecapital,andhavingconvincedthemthatColonelCrawleywouldpreferaperpetualretirementontheContinenttoaresidenceinthiscountrywithhisdebtsunsettled;havingprovedtothemthattherewasnopossibilityofmoneyaccruingtohimfromotherquarters,andnoearthlychanceoftheirgettingalargerdividendthanthatwhichshewasempoweredtooffer,shebroughttheColonel’screditorsunanimouslytoacceptherproposals,andpurchasedwithfifteenhundredpoundsofreadymoneymorethantentimesthatamountofdebts.
Thematterwassosimple,tohaveortoleave,asshejustlyobserved,thatshemadethelawyersofthecreditorsthemselvesdothebusiness.
AndMr.LewisrepresentingMr.Davids,ofRedLionSquare,andMr.MossactingforMr.ManassehofCursitorStreet(chiefcreditorsoftheColonel’s),complimentedhisladyuponthebrilliantwayinwhichshedidbusiness,anddeclaredthattherewasnoprofessionalmanwhocouldbeather.
Rebeccareceivedtheircongratulationswithperfectmodesty;orderedabottleofsherryandabreadcaketothelittledingylodgingswhereshedwelt,whileconductingthebusiness,totreattheenemy’slawyers:shookhandswiththematparting,inexcellentgoodhumour,andreturnedstraightwaytotheContinent,torejoinherhusbandandsonandacquainttheformerwiththegladnewsofhisentireliberation.
Asforthelatter,hehadbeenconsiderablyneglectedduringhismother’sabsencebyMademoiselleGenevieve,herFrenchmaid;forthatyoungwoman,contractinganattachmentforasoldierinthegarrisonofCalais,forgotherchargeinthesocietyofthismilitaire,andlittleRawdonverynarrowlyescapeddrowningonCalaissandsatthisperiod,wheretheabsentGenevievehadleftandlosthim.
Share this article to
FINISH